


War Wounds

by Ricechex



Series: Something That's Somewhere In Between [1]
Category: Almost Human
Genre: Drinking, Gen, Pre-Slash, Spoilers for episode 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-03
Updated: 2013-12-03
Packaged: 2018-01-03 09:30:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1068852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ricechex/pseuds/Ricechex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt by <a href="http://toboldlydammitjim.tumblr.com/">toboldlydammitjim</a>:</p><p>
  <i>okay so where are the fics about John being secretly concerned about all the cuts on Dorian’s face after the latest episode?</i>
</p><p>So here you go. Rudy, John, & Dorian at McQuaid's. Pre-slash (John/Dorian). Not really John being <i>secretly</i> concerned; more like him brushing off the concern and acting like it's no big deal. And possibly being a bit jealous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	War Wounds

“He’s gonna be OK, right?”

Rudy looked up from the table in front of him and blinked several times, eyes focusing briefly on John’s face. “What?”

John rolled his eyes as he slid another beer towards him. “Dorian.”

“Wha’ about him?”

John’s brow furrowed as he took a sip of his own drink and looked across the room to where Dorian was smiling and talking with a flaxen haired woman. “He’s got… wounds. All over his face.”

Rudy winced as he turned and pulled on his injured arm, then shifted about until he could look at Dorian. “Oh, yeah.” He turned back and smiled at John. “His skin’s designed to heal on it’s own, much like yours or mine. I just gave him some sealing agents. They work a bit like liquid bandages, keeping-”

“I just wanted to know that he’d be alright, I didn’t need details,” John said, taking another swig from his bottle.

“Oh. Yeah, o’ course.” Rudy shrunk back a bit, watching the crowds. He’d wanted to come, after all; Dorian had said this was what he and John normally did after a successful case, and Rudy wanted to live the whole experience, at least once. But now that he was here, he wasn’t sure what to do. Several women walked by and waved at John. He smiled and wiggled his fingers at them, tilting his head as they walked by to appreciate the view. Rudy licked his lips and took another drink.

“I could introduce ya, if you wanted.”

Rudy met John’s gaze. “I don’t know that… I doubt I’m really their type.”

“Why?”

Rudy’s eyes went wide. “Have you _seen_ yourself lately?”

John didn’t smile, but his eyes definitely seemed to sparkle at the indirect compliment. “You’re the one with the gunshot wound.”

Rudy frowned and tried to locate the group of women in the crowd again. “So?”

John chuckled. “Badge bunnies love war wounds,” he said.

“That why you come here so much? Because of your war wounds?” John’s expression darkened, and Rudy stammered. “I-I-I, I d-didn’t… I’m sorry, I-I shouldn’t have-”

“Stop talking,” John said, tone cold.

There was an audible click as Rudy snapped his jaws together. He looked away, casting glances at John from the corner of his eye whenever he felt he could.

Several minutes passed in uncomfortable silence, until John sighed. “I come here because this is where Marty started taking me, when we were first partnered. It became a tradition.” He shrugged, eyes staring across the room. “Old habits, and all.”

Rudy watched him, eyes narrowing as he followed John’s gaze. He was almost surprised when he found Dorian at the end of it once more, grinning and laughing with the same blonde woman from before. They’d been joined by a red-head now, who had her arm draped around Dorian’s shoulders and her other hand tracing the healing cuts on his face. When Rudy looked back at John, he saw his grip on the brown bottle tighten until his knuckles were white.

“How long?”

“Huh?” Rudy shook his head and blinked as his eyes met John’s. “What?”

John unclenched his jaw and stretched his neck. “Dorian’s… injuries. How long until they heal?”

Rudy shrugged. “Couple days. Why?”

“Should they be _doing_ that?”

Rudy looked over to see the blonde reaching up and trailing her fingertips along one of the worst of the cuts. “Well, i’s not like he’s gonna get an infection.”

John pursed his lips. “No. Guess not.” He raised up his bottle. “To the joys of _almost_ being a real boy,” he muttered before downing the rest of his beer and signalling for another.

Rudy brought his own drink to his lips, but he couldn’t bring himself to have any of it. He waited until John had a fresh beer in his hands, then asked, “Why did you want to know?”

“No reason,” John said.

“You sure?”

John glared at him. Rudy’s eyes went wide as he leaned forward, eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“I just… you sounded concerned, like you-”

“Like I _what_?”

Rudy gulped. “Like you care about him.”

John sat back, looking wary and cornered.

“I mean, you…” Rudy shrugged, trying to play it off. “You sounded like you were worried about your partner.”

John’s gaze flicked back to Dorian. Rudy looked over to see Dorian staring back at John, a soft smile on his face.

“He _is_ my partner,” John said, taking a drink without breaking eye contact with Dorian. Rudy looked between them as John continued, voice quieter. “He saved my life. Couple times, now. So yeah, I’m concerned.”

Rudy didn’t miss the way John’s chest heaved as he took in a breath, nor the way his body shook a little as he exhaled.

 _Oh_.

John’s eyes flicked away, and Rudy looked over to see that Dorian was still watching him. The circuits in his temple were flashing blue, and for a moment Rudy thought there might be a call they had to respond to. The girls by Dorian laughed then, high and loud, and Dorian blinked. When his eyes opened again, he was watching them and smiling as they ran their fingers over where the lights had been.

John slapped his drink back down on the table. “I’ll be back,” he said, standing and heading towards the front door. Rudy watched him until the door swung shut again, then looked back at Dorian.

Dorian, who had watched John’s departure as well, and was still staring at the heavy front door. He looked back at the table and met Rudy’s eyes, giving him a smile that looked forced. Rudy held up his beer and tried to smile back.

A moment later, the formerly empty seat at the table was filled when Dorian dropped into it. “You don’t look like you’re having much fun. I’m sorry. Maybe I should have suggested this for another time.”

Rudy shook his head. “No, it’s… it’s fine, I… I’m fine.” He tried to grin again.

Dorian tilted his head as the lights on his cheek illuminated and cycled. “Why did John leave?”

Rudy shrugged. “Said he’d be right back.”

Dorian nodded. “I see.”

Rudy finished off his beer in lieu of answering, looking back up when the door opened again and John stepped back in, tucking the flap of his jacket pocket back down. Dorian looked over at him, eyes narrowing. John glared at him as he sat down. “You guys ready?”

Rudy nodded. “Yeah, thanks. This was… nice.” He looked around. “I don’t get out with friends much. Or, by myself, either…”

John snorted. “Would never have guessed,” he said as he chugged his drink.

“Keys?” Dorian held out his hand.

John rolled his eyes but handed them over without argument. “Yeah yeah, I’m over the limit and he’s hurt. Here.” He slapped them into Dorian’s hand. “I’ll settle up, you guys go ahead.” Rudy nodded and followed Dorian, who waved to several people as they made their way out of the building.

“He’s angry with me,” Dorian said once they were outside.

“What? Why would he be-”

“I was… flirting,” Dorian said. “With those women.”

Rudy’s brows shot up. “Why would that make him-”

“He doesn’t like it when I act like I’m human.”

“Oh.” Rudy shoved his good hand in his pocket and looked at the ground. “Can I ask why?”

Dorian shrugged as he unlocked the car. “He’s never said. But the first time we came here, I did something similar. And it bothered him.”

“What bothered who?”

Dorian turned, and Rudy looked around him to see John striding towards them, hands in his pockets. “Me. Bothering you.”

John scoffed. “You mean every moment of every shift?”

Dorian smirked. “Rudy called shotgun, by the way.”

“What? No!” John scowled at them both. “My car, I ride in the front.”

Dorian’s smirk was still in place. “I believe you told me once that when three people ride in one car, whoever calls _shotgun_ gets the front seat. And Rudy called it while you were kindly settling the tab.”

John growled, then stomped past him and yanked open the backseat, slamming it behind him.

Rudy looked at Dorian wide-eyed. “I… I didn’t-”

Dorian put a finger to his lips. “It’s our secret. Besides, I ride with him all day. It’ll be nice to have some new company.” With that, he pulled his door open and slid in. Rudy could hear John ranting before the door closed again. Rudy smiled, then opened his door and got in.

“I swear, Dorian, if you put Elton John on I’m gonna have Rudy re-modulate your voice inflections so that you sound like Maldonado permanently. She’ll have you decommed so fast your circuits’ll spin.”

Dorian smirked. “Understood, Reggie. No Elton John.”

“I hate you.”

Dorian started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. A moment later, a heavily synthesised pop beat started, and Rudy heard John swearing in the backseat.

“Dorian, _no_.”

“ _I think I did it again_ ,” Dorian sang, loud and off key and completely without shame. Behind them, John was still swearing.

“I told you my mother liked her in _confidence_ , Dorian!”

Dorian laughed and kept singing, and Rudy had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing as well.

Without hesitation, Dorian manoeuvred his way through the city until he arrived at Rudy’s apartment building. By now, the music had changed to something modern that Rudy didn’t recognise. He looked into the back seat, eyes going wide when he realised that John was laying down across the seats, fast asleep.

“He always does this,” Dorian said without looking at either of them.

“Adrenaline crash?”

Dorian nodded and smiled. “Yeah man. Never fails. Finish a big case, have a few beers, and he’s out within ten minutes.”

Rudy’s arm twinged. “How… I mean, did you need any…” He sighed. “I suppose I’m not much use, with my arm, but… I mean I could unlock the door or… something.”

Dorian looked at him now, and grinned wide. “Thanks. But that’s not necessary.” Dorian glanced back as John snuffled and shifted about, his face smoothing out as he relaxed back into sleep. “Not the first time it’s happened. Won’t be the last.” His expression seemed fond. If Rudy didn’t know better he’d say it looked…

No. No, the DRN series… they were _almost_ human, but they… they couldn’t fall in love…

Could they?

“Rudy?”

He blinked a few times, head snapping back up to meet Dorian’s gaze. “Right. Sorry. Lost in my own world for a moment.”

Dorian’s smile turned soft. “Happens to the best of us, man.”

Rudy nodded. “Alright. Drive safe, and, um, if you need anything.”

Dorian nodded once. “Hope you had fun,” he said. Rudy smiled and shut the door. His apartment was on the third floor, and he pressed the code to get into the building before turning back and waving to Dorian, who flashed the lights once and pulled out of the lot.

Once back in his own apartment, Rudy gingerly got into a simple t-shirt and flannel pyjama bottoms. He took another pain killer, then settled into bed. Just before he drifted off, he got a text on his phone.

[ _Back at John_ _’s apartment. Thought you might be worried, so I wanted to let you know. -Dorian_ ]

Rudy smiled, put his phone back down, and closed his eyes.


End file.
